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Cher in the City: Listen to smooth sounds, help others

Will Downing is touring to promote his 16th album, Silver, and will stop in Augusta for a benefit for the DeAnna Williams Heffner Kidney Transplant Fund.

By the end of the movie, I had finished my grapes and my bottled water, been entertained and learned a little something about jazz and even more about Louie Armstrong. I clicked off the remote and snuggled down in bed.

It dawned on me that although I’m normally so into action films, love stories and reality TV, I had just watched and thoroughly enjoyed a movie where no one got shot or blown up, nobody had a fist fight or had even gotten slapped.

I had watched a grace and elegance that is so missing from TV today and it was about a simple man, with a wonderful skill, a smooth cool sound … and all that jazz.

If you care to enjoy a little jazz and some smooth R&B, there are a few events ahead that are worthy of your time and support.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at Bell Auditorium. Tickets are $35 to $65 from the James Brown Arena box office, georgialinatix.com or 877-4AUGTIX.

• On Sunday, Sept. 1, Garden City Jazz will transform Augusta Common into a jazz club for PopUpJazz. The event is free and starts at 6 p.m.

“Like jazz music, a pop-up lives in the moment,” said Karen Gordon, founder of Garden City Jazz. “And while I love music in nontraditional spaces, I’m constantly asked when Augusta will have a jazz venue. This seems to be a step in the right direction.”

To reserve a table, call (762) 233-5299 or kgordon@gardencityjazz.com or visit popupjazz13.bpt.me.